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SATURDAY AM: Cross-dressing Tyler Perry’s alter ego grandma may be reviled by movie critics and those who think Madea represents the worst in racial stereotyping. (“A life sentence…” and “Throw away the key…” were just some of the insulting headlines about the film Friday.) But the public sure loves her. So writer/director/actor/producer Perry is heading for his biggest branded film ever as Lionsgate’s Madea Goes To Jail opened #1 Friday to $14.7 million domestic from 2,032 theaters. Tracking showed really even numbers across the board in awareness and interest, with first choice weighted on the older female side. The PG-13 laffer could come close to $40M for this Oscar weekend. Overall, Hollywood has a lot to celebrate Sunday because of what’s shaping up to be another huge weekend at the North American box office with total grosses around $135M-$140M, up 35% from last year. The only other new film debuting was Screen Gems/Sony’s PG-13 cheerleader comedy Fired Up! which eked out $3 million Friday from 1,810 venues for no more than an $8M weekend. “Don’t know who is ‘fired up’ to see this one beyond knucklehead males and females under 25,” a rival studio exec told me. Meanwhile, Best Picture Oscar shoo-in Slumdog Millionaire from Fox Searchlight could easily cross $100 million this Sunday at the same time it’s picking up its award after starting its 15th week in release.
Friday’s Top 10
1. Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes To Jail (Lionsgate) OPENER $14.7M Fri [2,032 Theaters], $40M Wkd
2. Taken (20th Century Fox) $3.4M Fri [3,102], $11M Wkd
3. He’s Just Not That Into You (New Line/Warner Bros) $2.9M Fri [3,050], $10M Wkd
4. Friday The 13th (New Line/Warner Bros) $2.7M (-85%) Fri [3,105], $9M Wkd
5. Coraline 3-D (Focus Features) $2.6M Fri [2,155], $14M Wkd
6. Confessions Of A Shopaholic (Disney) $2.4M (-45%) Fri [2,507], $8M Wkd
7. Fired Up (Screen Gems/Sony) OPENER $2.2M Fri [1,810], $8M Wkd
8. Slumdog Millionaire (Fox Searchlight) $2.1M Fri [2,244], $9M Wkd
9. Paul Blart: Mall Cop (Columbia/Sony) $1.9M Fri [2,835], $8.5M Wkd
10. The International (Sony) $1.4M (-46%) Fri [2,364], $4.5M
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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I PERSONALLY ENJOY HIS MOVIES,PLAYS ETC.SO WHAT IF HIS MOVIES DONT WIN AN OSCAR OR BRING IN 100 MILL OR ONLY COST A COUPLE OF HUNDRED DOLLARS TO MAKE.SO WHAT,SO WHAT,SO FREAKING WHAT.HE IS A GOOD WRITER.A DAM GOOD WRITER.AND THATS ALL THAT COUNTS.HIS PERSONALLY LIFE IS HIS BUSINESS.WHO HE HIRES AND FIRES IS HIS BUSINESS.HE’S TRYING TO MAKE MONEY JUST LIKE THE NEXT MAN.(OR WOMAN)AND WHEN IT’S ALL SAID AND DONE,THE MAN IS STILL RICH AND HE IS RICH FOR ONLY ONE REASON.HE MUST BE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT.IF YOU DONT LIKE HIM OH WELL KEEP IT MOVING.ALL THIS SLANDER ABOUT HIM IS REALLY UNCALLED FOR.NOBODY IS PERFECT.HE WRITES FROM THE HEART,WHAT HE FEELS.REAL LIFE ISSUES.(MAINLY FOCUSING ON AFRICAN-AMERICANS).I MEAN REALLY,TO SIT THERE AND SAY THAT A MOVIE ONLY MADE 10 MILL IS A BAD THING?ARE YOU KIDDING?THERE ARE WAAAAAAAAAAAY MORE MOVIES THAT MADE LESS THAN THAT.TYLER IS DOING THE DAM THING.LEAVE HIM ALONE.
I read most of these notes…OMG,”Stop Hatin” as “we” might say. Honestly, I am a black man and I do not enjoy the Madea thing, I perfer his serious movies (ie, no Madea). This man is doing something right. The latest movies has made over 66 million as of today. There is a good possibility that it will hit about 75-85 million. I just read that he is about to release 2 more movies in the next 18 months.
Far as his audience, he knows who he is targeting and he is hitting his target audience. Now come on really, who was complaining when white men ran hollywood and only casted blacks as pimps and hustlers? Not the white people. Now that a black man has decided that he would show blacks (african americans/Negros) in their full dispora of statuses we are offended….NO COME ON…would it be okay if a white producer showed the white hill billies of West Virginia up to the upper class of Northern Virginia….you get my point…its a movie, if you do not like it do not watch it…I really believe some people are mad cause the brother is making mad $$$$$.
One last thing as far as the WGA…FOR GOD’S SAKE HE IS A BUSINESS MAN!!! HE IS THERE TO MAKE MONEY.
PG13 Rated,Great movie we loved it,Also it was neat when Parents all around us told their kids to cover their eyes during the KIDNAP & RAPE scene. Kool idea to get PG13 rate it drew in whole families.
Yes, Tyler has kicked butt all around the world. The greatest is he. I have watched all his movies and plays. They all have a message behind them that is serious, but with a twist of humour. Go Tyler, waiting for your next production.